A revolution has taken place in share investing since the turn of the century. American firms have led the charge with the likes of Vanguard and Blackrock taking passive investing around the globe.  Disenchantment with active fund managers has seen funds flow into the passive sector, accelerated by the emergence of exchange traded funds, or simply ETF’s. In Australia, the revolution arrived late. Active managers held sway for many years before eventually the dam wall broke. The American behemoths came hard, but they didn’t have it their own way.  Aussie startup Betashares grew out of ..read more

Affordable housing seems to be an elusive goal in Australia. However, Lifestyle Communities (ASX: LIC), which is celebrating its 21st birthday in 2024, might have just cracked the code.    The company’s land rent model is spreading across Victoria at an ever-increasing rate. To date, more than 30 villages within driving distance of Melbourne have been built or are in the planning stage. In total, more than 5,700 homeowners have been accommodated with many more to come. Lifestyle Communities started life modestly. At the helm was property veteran James Kelly ably assisted by his partn ..read more

Over the last four years, Success and More Interesting Stuff has been privileged to host some of the legends of the Australian equity market. Arguably though no one has had more of an impact on the industry than Kerr Neilson.   Originally from South Africa, Neilson landed on Australian shores in 1983 where he joined the ranks of Bankers Trust. BT was on the rise and Neilson stood out among the pack. After just two years, he was placed in charge of the retail business. Under his leadership, it became the growth engine of the firm managing money around the globe.   BT’s mercurial ..read more

Every year,  fund manager Eley Griffiths invites stockbrokers from across the country to a lavish dinner. In the cutthroat world of the share market, stockbrokers rarely get treated by their clients. Eley Griffiths, the $1.2 billion small company manager known affectionately as EGG, is a rare breed. The fact that EGG is currently celebrating its 20th year is a testament to the value that everyone contributes to the process of grinding out returns in the volatile small company market. It is a deliberate strategy and reflects the founder's personality.  Ben Griffiths is a 30-year-plus ..read more

Graham "Skroo" Turner grew up in splendid isolation. His family owned an orchard in Southeast Queensland, and he rode a pushbike to school, which was so small it only required one teacher. Even when he went to university, he avoided humans and decided to study vet science. Skroo, now seventy-four years old, still sits atop of Flight Centre (ASX:FLT), Australia's largest travel agency, which operates in twenty-four countries. He is the fearless leader of thousands of employees and has a unique management technique that has allowed the company to scale well beyond its humble beginnings. While Fl ..read more

It's been just over a decade since Andrew Alcock took a risk on a small up-and-coming investment platform. The gamble has certainly paid off. Since joining the firm in July 2013, HUB24's (ASX: HUB) share price has skyrocketed around 4200% - turning an ASX-listed microcap into a market-leading 30-bagger.  In the early months of 2013, HUB24 was on its knees. The company experienced a boardroom battle, an emergency capital raising, and a lack of leadership. Born out of the stockbroking outfit InvestorFirst, the company was losing millions of dollars a year and its future was d ..read more

Anton Tagliaferro grew up in Malta, playing football and studying with the dream of someday becoming a doctor. This was pushed aside, however, when political unrest in his native country led him to leave for London, where he ended up studying accounting.    Soon after graduating, Anton discovered the world of funds management and was hooked on the idea immediately. Through taking advantage of chance opportunities, Anton was able to migrate into an equities manager role, where he began building a personal brand as a reliable investor. After receiving encouragement from clients, Anton ..read more

Nick Scali is a furniture powerhouse. Since listing in May 2004, the store count has grown from 10 to 107 without having to tap shareholders for additional capital. Who knew Australians had such an insatiable appetite for leather lounges?  Equally as impressive as store growth are the financial returns investors have enjoyed. Since listing, sales have increased by 1,068%, net profit has increased by 1,407%, and the dividend has increased by 1,263%. From a listing price of $1 to the current share price of $10.79, Nick Scali (ASX:NCK) has been a 10-bagger for shareholders who have stayed th ..read more

By the time most people reach their mid-forties, they are thinking about an exit strategy for their working life. That was not the case for Robert Kelly AM, who, in 1975, after a series of harrowing business experiences, was dusting himself off and preparing to start all over again. Kelly is the Founder, Managing Director and CEO of Steadfast (ASX: SDF), the ASX-listed insurance broking firm with a market capitalisation of ~$6 billion. Insurance is a harsh industry where the big players compete on price and price alone. Steadfast, under Kelly’s stewardship, has taken a different path choo ..read more

It's been 25 years since the first days of Ausbil Investment Management, and Executive Chairman, CIO and Head of Equities Paul Xiradis is still one of the first to arrive at the office.  The self-confessed "market animal" lives and breathes investing. But few know the making of X, as he is now universally known.  The eldest son of Greek immigrants, Xiradis always knew the value of entrepreneurial spirit - having keenly watched his father run several fish shops growing up. While Xiradis admits these years were "never easy", they instilled in him a desire to one day run a business ..read more